Very mild all of a sudden, windy with heavy squally showers, ground conditions easing again.  No joy at Doncaster, So Ladylike didn’t really enjoy being taken on for the lead and whilst Lucky Soldier travelled into the race well he again found nothing for pressure, hmm, and an M6 puncture on the way home made for a long day out for Jade and Jess.

Skiddaw

On to Newcastle’s Eider Chase day tomorrow with one runner – Skiddaw in the 5.05 and the ground should be good to soft, Bruce rides.  We’ve always felt he is a much better horse than he has shown to date and the form of his last run has worked out quite well so I would like to think he can take a big step forward tomorrow for his new owners.  Track/ground/class should all suit well though there remains some debate as to what will prove his best trip – 12 run.

Jess and Not The Chablis with Jade

So long as the ground hasn’t gone too soft it will be back down the A1 on Sunday for the College Valley point to point where we plan to run Not the Chablis with Jess on board.  A very successful inaugural day of Schooling Races at Musselburgh yesterday, we were able to take 5 unraced horses along who gained invaluable experience – let’s hope it is the first of many.

Takeyoutotheisland leads Oor Wish and Just an Artist in a schooling bumper at Musselburgh yesterday

Cold again today and the same sleety showers on a bitter easterly, change due later this week.  Cold down at Doncaster as well and there is a 7.30am inspection for tomorrow’s fixture.  If it goes ahead, which I hope it will, I’d expect loose sort of good to soft and we have two declared runners; unfortunately in the same race at 3.20, 16 run so not quite the 18 that it would have taken to divide.

Lucky Soldier

Lucky Soldier (Bruce) ran batter than the bare result at Newcastle last time, he should strip a little fitter tomorrow and the step up to 3 miles should also help round a track that should suit well so hopefully he can run a big race.

So Ladylike

So Ladylike (Tash) ran very well to be 4th at Wetherby and should also be a bit sharper so can also run a good race especially if she can get into the sort of rhythm up fron that she has done for her last two runs.

A memorable day at Musselburgh on Sunday with Dom riding his first jumps winner, I was absolutely delighted for him as he is dedicated, professional, hard-working and talented so thoroughly deserves a successful career.  Elsewhere on the card Not in Kansas finished strongly to be a close 4th and Anamanda a close 3rd – both undone by the pace of their races in different ways,  Unfortunately Split Stone burst a blood vessel and was pulled up early.

We will be back at Musselburgh on Thursday with six horses to run in schooling bumpers, 5 of which are unraced, an excellent initiative.

Our weekend succeses were very much kept in perspective by the dreadful news that broke on Sunday morning. Irish jockey Michael O’Sullivan had passed away in the early hours of the morning at Cork University Hospital following injuries sustained in a fall at Thurles on 6th February.  Michael was 24yo and a hugely talented rider at an early stage in his career, somewhat poignantly he had ridden our Saturday Haydock winner Dubai Days in his first two point-to-points before his cousin Maxine took over for his bumper.  Maxine and her father Eugene were incredibly helpful to me in the early days of managing the headstrong Dubai Days, so generous with their time.  It is impossible to rationalise such a tragedy other than to say he died fulfilling his dreams; the racing world draws together at times like these and our hearts go out to Michael and his family who are very much in our thoughts and prayers.

Cold and drizzly (again) but a heart warming win from Dubai Days down at Haydock this afternoon; this was such a tough performance on seasonal debut having seriously injured himself back in September, and an ITV1 Premier Fixture as well, absolutely delighted, a serious team effort to get him back to his best again – many thanks to all involved and a huge WELL DONE!

Dubai Days (right) on the way to registering his 9th career win this afternoon at Haydock

On to Musselburgh tomorrow where we have 5 declared runners on ground that is described as good to soft, suspect it will be quicker than that so we may have a few withdrawals though hopefully today’s persistent drizzle may have eased it a bit.

Bath time for Split Stone this morning

We start with Split Stone in the 14.00; he’s been gradually getting his act together over hurdles and should outrun his odds though he will be better over further in time – 9 run and Jamie Hamilton rides.

And Beat the Retreat

We have two runners in the 15.00, Not in Kansas (Bruce) and Beat the Retreat (Dom).  They finished a length apart over 3 miles here a fortnight ago to finish 6th and 8th in a better quality race, both actually have better form over this shorter trip (2m 4f) and should go well again – first time cheek pieces are worn by Beat the Retreat and it’s the second start post a wind op for Not in Kansas.  I couldn’t split them – 10 run.

Not In Kansas

Anamanda runs in the 16.00, she’s been running well this season including being 2nd over course and distance so should play a part in the finish again, Conor rides and 8 run.

Anamanda

Finally we run Skiddaw in the 17.00, the form of his last run over course and distance has worked out well and he has been ready to run again for a while so ought to put up a decent show back down in class – Bruce rides and 13 run.

Skiddaw

After that it will be Carlisle on Monday where My Lady Elektra runs in the first race at 13.20, this race looks ideal for her so long as she handles the idiosyncratic track, she is down in class and has had a small wind operation since running well enough at Kelso just after Christmas – we are also popping on some cheek pieces, Bruce rides and 12 run.

My Lady Elektra

At Kelso yesterday we had a mixed day…….  Eloi du Puy took an uncharacteristic fall before the race had got going, Theme Tune bounced back to form with a very solid 5th in a competitive handicap, Burning it Up progressed nicely to be 3rd, Mack the Man didn’t want to know about it all, Ginger Mail was in the process of running a lovely race until propping badly on landing three out, Ned Tanner ran a great race to be 2nd in the feature chase (he has now won or made the frame on 20 of his 24 career starts), Gaillimh a Stor told us he definitely prefers hurdles to fences and Lester Mail showed bags of improvement to finish 6th in the bumper, only 7l behind the winner. Time for a large drink me thinks!